About This Dish
The single most important condiment in Moroccan cuisine. Lemons are packed in salt and their own juice and left to cure for at least 30 days, transforming from fresh and tart to soft, intensely flavored, and deeply savory. Only the rind is used in cooking — it adds a unique salty-citrus dimension that is impossible to replicate with fresh lemons. Preserved lemons appear in tagines, salads, and countless other dishes. Every Moroccan kitchen has a jar of preserved lemons on the counter, and making a new batch is a ritual that marks the change of seasons when lemons are cheapest.
Ingredients
- 10 Lemons, unwaxed
- 300 g Coarse salt
- 1 cup Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Cut each lemon into quarters from the top, stopping 1cm from the base (so it stays connected).
- 2
Pack generous salt into the cuts of each lemon.
- 3
Press salted lemons tightly into a sterilized jar, pushing down to release juice.
- 4
Top up with fresh lemon juice until lemons are fully submerged.
- 5
Seal the jar. Leave at room temperature for 30 days, shaking daily.
- 6
Once cured, rinse the rind before using. Discard the pulp.
- 7
Store in the fridge after opening — keeps for a year.
Tips & Tricks
- Use unwaxed, organic lemons for the best results.
- The lemons MUST be completely submerged in liquid at all times.
- They are ready when the rind is soft and the color has darkened.
- Meyer lemons work beautifully for a more floral flavor.